War-scarred Syrian children may be 'lost to trauma': aid group

There are three million Syrian children living in zones frequently hit by bombs and shells, with experts fearing this generation could grow up to be "lost to trauma"

Syrian children terrified by shelling and airstrikes are showing signs of severe emotional distress and could grow up to be a generation "lost to trauma," Save the Children warned Monday.

Interviews with more than 450 children and adults showed a high level of psychological stress among children, with many suffering from frequent bedwetting or developing speech impediments.

At least three million children are estimated to be living in Syria's war zones, facing ongoing bombing and shelling as the conflict heads into its seventh year.

Two-thirds of those interviewed by the aid organization have lost a loved one or had their house bombed or shelled, or suffered war-related injuries themselves.

"After six years of war, we are at a tipping point," said the report entitled "Invisible Wounds" on the war's impact on children's mental health.

"The risk of a broken generation, lost to trauma and extreme stress, has never been greater," it said.

A staggering 84 percent listed bombing and shelling as the number one cause of stress in children's daily lives.

A Syrian girl crosses the road on the outskirts of the besieged rebel-held Syrian town of Madaya, pictured in January 2016, where six teenagers -- the youngest a 12-year-old girl -- have attempted suicide in recent months

About 48 percent of adults reported that children had lost the ability to speak or developed speech impediments since the start of the war.

Some 81 percent of children have become more aggressive while 71 percent suffer from frequent bedwetting, according to the research.

Half of those interviewed said domestic abuse was on the rise and one in four children said they don't have a place to go or someone to talk to when they are scared, sad or upset.